All I can say about the PermaTill is that it comes in various sizes, and the size that would be best for making a mix similar to the gritty mix would be between 1/2 BB-size to BB-size. "Now, if I don't sift the pine bark fines out, does that just shorten the life of the pot?" If you're making the gritty mix and you don't sift the bark, or you use a product with a lot of fines, you sort of negate the whole purpose of making it. It's structural longevity and high degree of aeration are its hallmarks. If you start adding fine particulates to it, you might as well opt for the 5:1:1 mix or similar, because there would be little advantage in a gritty mix with lots of fines in it over any other soil heavy on fines. "Another question I have is whether this mix of pine bark, granite and turface is - is it suitable to growing all plants?" I have yet to try a plant in it that hasn't done extremely well. I don't use it for short term plantings like veggies and flowery display containers, but I use it for everything that might be in the same soil for more than a single growth cycle - all my woody plants and houseplants, including cacti and succulents are in it. Filler Use whatever you want as a filler. Empty or water-filled soda bottles work well. A properly made gritty mix holds no (or VERY little) perched water, so there is no worry about water perching above material used as a filler. Squirrels The gritty mix won't deter them. I probably found 30 black walnuts buried in the pots of material I'm growing on for bonsai that I've repotted so far this spring. You'll need to find an alternate method of dissuading them. Gran-I-Grit is actually mined by the NC Granite Corp in Mount Airy, so it shouldn't be too hard to find there. If Manna Pro is all granite and the right size, there's no reason it can't be substituted for Gran-I-Grit. The mix is 1:1:1 by volume, then a tbsp of gypsum/gallon of mix. The bark I use is pre-screened, but if I had fines, I would use them in the 5:1:1 mix, spread them on the garden or beds, add them to the compost pile, or use them in hypertufa projects. I always use either insect screen over the drain holes or plastic canvas, which is an inexpensive plastic mesh that comes in 9x12 sheets, available at most hobby stores in the needlepoint section. Paste this to your browser to see what I'm talking about: http://bagntell.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/pcanvas2.jpg Al

Quick update- I have spent all day/night (literally for the past 13 hrs and it is now almost 1am) fretting over the possible death of my guys; reading and reading and becoming more and more confused between the various websites' info. One thing that has not confused me is the confidence everyone on THIS site has in Al's GM [Al, how r u not mass producing this already?! ;-) ] The current status of my guys are that they r not sitting in water but have received 2 very hot and steamy treatments in my bathroom over the course of the night- i am hoping this will mAke due by supplying SOME semblance of water w/o drowning them.... one website I read mentioned letting the roots dry out??? Again- lil Miss Confused over here :-/ All is (hopefully) not lost bc thru my trusty google search and Turface's website, I've located a dealer who is less than 5 miles from me! :-D I'm emailing the unsuspecting manager tomorrow and hopefully will be able to move forward w/ what seems to be one of the hardest of the materials to find. *fingers crossed* I will admit that altho I have pics, I am simply too embarrassed to post them :( and also have further confused myself by reading mentions of the 5:1:1 mix but out of pure exhaustion have not fully read up on-yet. It sounds like Al's GM works for all of my guys including all of the succulents I have managed to NOT kill (yaaaay me!). From the fellow forum members' posts, sounds like I can find the proper bark and granite supplies at my local Home Depot. Al - I know you are out there somewhere and I thank you for sharing this knowledge with the rest of us newbies!!! Will post again RE: the process!

I noticed there is a Cacti and Succulents forum here, so if you don't get your answers here in the Soil forum, you might post over there.

Karen and John..one problem living in IL, most stores, nurseries or big box, don't have a variety of mixes. The main brand is Miracle Gro. Mail order shipping would be outrageous... When I buy black soil, peat, perlite, etc. I get 40 and 50lb bags..lol. I have way too many plants to bother with 4 or 5lb'ers.. If you go back to my original question, (I've read somewhere that certain mediums make-up compost and leaf mold,' but can't recall where I read it..I hoped someone here had an answer...lol..So I thought perhaps someone knew what soils/amendments made up Compost. You guys are fortunate finding different brands in your area without having to have it shipped.. Erict..I use Cactus soil for cacti and succulents, but even then add course sand and/or Perlite..Even though Cactus soil is well-draining, it still holds water when used alone. Perhaps it's the type I buy, but once again, the main brand sold here is MG..sigh. Thanks for everyones help..Sorry I didn't respond sooner.,.I've been super busy hauling plants indoors..takes forever..lol..Toni